Traditional forms of medical care aren’t always the way to go. When you have minor to moderate pain and don’t have the time to wait for your family doctor or the money for an emergency room visit…who are you supposed to reach out to?
More medical centers than ever before are turning into hybrid models that can address a wide variety of needs. An urgent care clinic is where you go when you need to address abdominal pain or a severe migraine that isn’t severe enough for the emergency room but is too painful to wait a full week. A family medical center can provide you advanced diagnostic and laboratory services, preventative care and basic medication to ensure you get a fast cure or your condition doesn’t get worse while waiting for a specialist’s attention.
If you’re worried about your ability to receive quality medical care, particularly if you’re on a budget and need to be seen immediately, then a family medical center may prove a reliable resource.
The field of urgent care medicine is expanding tenfold. There are over 20,000 physicians that practice this specific specialty, transforming it into one of the most relevant and easily accessible forms of day-to-day medical care in the country. Studies have shown Americans frequently spend too much money on emergency care services when they could be visiting a 24 hour urgent care location instead. The average reimbursement for an urgent care visit, for example, is around $100 per patient. Compare this to an emergency room visit which can reach an upwards of $300.
Your pain should be taken seriously. A family medical care center or urgent care clinic hybrid is able to address any number of minor to moderate issues, providing you pain relief, consultation and preventative care to get you back on your feet. Abdominal pain, such as severe nausea, cramps, indigestion, vomiting and burning, is frequently brought to the attention of urgent care physicians. Common conditions that cause abdominal pain are kidney stones, a growing intolerance and airborne illness. The average urgent care clinic will have seven treatment rooms available.
Headaches and chest pain are also frequent issues that see Americans digging around for fast relief. Chronic dehydration is one of the biggest contributors to headaches, though more serious pain could be an indicator of migraines or high blood pressure. One of the biggest benefits of a family medical center are the short wait times. A recent study revealed 60% of urgent care centers have a wait time of less than 15 minutes on average, with another 65% having a physician on-site at all times. No matter how minor or severe your pain, you can be assured you will get the help you need.
The nation has seen more than two dozen rural hospitals shut down after 2013, putting millions of Americans in a poor spot when it comes to getting simple treatment. Too often people have to debate whether or not to wait to see their family physician, leaving them in the position of having their condition getting worse. Others go to the emergency room, putting them out of pocket when they should be saving. By 2020 the nation will be short 90,000 physicians, with the Association Of American Medical Colleges expecting this number to increase significantly by 2025. Urgent care medicine is needed more than ever.
If you have difficulty breathing, can’t stand without dizziness or are suffering from abdominal pain, it’s time to see a convenient care clinic. Find one in your are and become familiar with their hours so you never have to worry about easy access healthcare again.